Figure simulating toy vehicle



Jan. 13, 1953 c. P. ALONZO FIGURE SIMULATING TOY VEHICLE 2 SHEET$SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 5, 195] INVENTOR. CHAFL 6s PAl/l AL 04 20 Jan. 13, 1953 c. P. ALONZO 2,625,403

FIGURE SIMULATING TOY VEHICLE Filed Oct. 5, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. (WA/Hi5 PAUL ALGA/Z0 "aw/Mm Arron/95f Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,625,403 FIGURE SIMULATING TOY VEHICLE Charles P. Alonzo, New Orleans, La.

Application October 5, 1951, Serial'No. 249,862

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a toy vehicle and has for its primary object to afford entertainment and amusement for juveniles.

Another object is to simulate the motions of a horse when operated by a rider and to enable the rider to steer the vehicle by the use of a flexible member simulating the reins employed for guiding a horse.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a frame carrying a member simulating the body of a horse; said frame comprising a collar, a spindle mounted in the collar to rotate about a vertical axis, an axle carried by the spindle, wheels carried by the axle, a cross bar carried by the spindle and a flexible member connected to the cross bar and extending toward the rear of the member to enable a rider to steer the vehicle in a manner simulating the reins by which a horse is guided.

Other features include divergent arms carried by the collar, vertical legs carried by the arms adjacent the divergent ends thereof, said arms and legs forming the frame carrying the member which simulates the body of a horse, a drive axle mounted in the legs to rotate about a horizontal axis, traction wheels carried by the drive axle for rotation therewith, drive means carried by the arms between the collar and the legs and having driving connection with the drive axle, forelegs and hind legs pivoted to the member adjacent opposite ends thereof, and means carried by the drive means and connected to the forelegs and hind legs for oscillating said pivoted legs as the drive means is operated by a rider sitting astride the member.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a toy vehicle embodying the features of this invention,

Figure 2 is a front view partly in section of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the vehicle frame,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, and

Figure 8 is an irregular fragmentary sectional view through the portions of the member which simulate the shoulders, neck and head of a horse.

Referring to the drawings in detail a frame designated generally It includes a collar l2 in which is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis a spindle M which carries at its lower end a horizontally extending axle 16. The upper end of the spindle l4 carries a cross bar I8 which lies parallel to and directly above the axle l6. Mounted on the axle It for rotation adjacent opposite ends thereof are wheels 20 which have rolling contact with the ground and form the support for the front end of the toy. Carried by the collar l2 and projecting hori zontally therefrom are divergent arms 22 carrying adjacent their divergent ends vertical legs 24. A drive axle 26 is mounted in the legs 24 for rotation about a horizontal axis and fixed to the axle 26 adjacent opposite ends thereof and for rotation therewith are traction wheels 28. A drive sprocket 30 is fixed to the drive axle 26 between opposite ends thereof for rotating said drive axle when the sprocket is driven.

Depending from the divergent arms 22 between the collar I2 and the legs 24 are convergent hangers 32 in which is journalled adjacent the lower convergent ends thereof a crank shaft designated generally 34. This crank shaft 34 rotates about a horizontal axis which lies parallel with the axis of the drive shaft 26 and has fixed thereto for rotation therewith between the convergent ends of the hangers a sprocket 38. An endless drive chain 38 establishes driving connection between the sprocket 36 and the sprocket 36 so that when the crank shaft 34 is rotated the drive axle 26 and traction wheels 28 will be driven.

Carried by the crank shaft 36 adjacent the convergent ends of the hangers 32 are crank arms 40 and carried by the crank shaft 36 adjacent the crank arms 40 on the sides thereof remote from the hangers 32 are oppositely extending crank arms 42. Lateral extensions 44 project from the crank arms 42 in axial alignment with the crank shaft 36 and carry at their ends remote from the crank arms 42 oppositely extending cranks 46 upon which pedals 43 are mounted to rotate.

A member 50 simulating the body of a horse and having a neck 52 and head 54 simulating respectively the neck of a horse and the head of a horse is mounted on the frame In and pivotally connected to the member 50 adjacent the forward end thereof are legs 56 which are shaped to simulate the forelegs of a horse. Legs 58 simulating the hind legs of a horse are pivotally connected to the member 50 adjacent the rear 3 end thereof and the pivots 60 of the legs 58 extend through openings 62 formed in the legs 24 adjacent the divergent arms 22 of the frame "I.

Mounted for rotation on the crank arms 40 are links 64 which extend-forwardly beneath the member 50 and are pivoted as at 66 to the legs 56. Similar links 68 are rotatably mounted for rotation on the crank arms 42 and are pivotally connected as at 10 to the'legs 58.

Mounted in the neck portion 52 and in the head portion 54 of the member 50 are arched guide tubes 12 which terminate at their outer ends ad jacent the portion of the head B which-simulatesthe mouth of the horse and at their inner ends in a chamber 14 formed'within the member 50 at its junction with the neck 52. The cross bar I8 is located in the chamber 14 and connected to the cross bar i8 adjacent opposite ends there!- of are opposite ends of a flexible member 16 which extends through the guide tubes 12 and lies adjacent the neck portion 52- in the form of reins by which the vehicle may be guided. A saddle T8 is carried by the member 50 above the hangers 32 so that one sitting in the saddle astride the member 50 may place hisfeet on the pedals 48 and rotate the crank shaft 34 to propel the vehicle.

Obviously as the vehicle is propelled, the crank arms Gil and 42 will be rotated to move their respective links 64 and 68 andcause the legs 56 and 58 to oscillate thus simulating a horse in motion. Steering of the vehicle may be accomplished by pulling one or the other sides of the flexible member it in a manner similar to guiding a horse by the use of a bit and reins.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

In a toy vehicle a collar, an elongated spindle mounted in and extending through the collar for rotation about a vertical axis, an axle carried by the spindle adjacent the lower end thereof, a cross bar carried by the spindle adjacent the upper end thereof, substantially horizontally disposed divergent arms carried by the collar,

4 vertical legs carried by the arms adjacent the divergent ends thereof, a drive axle mounted in the legs adjacent the lower ends thereof for rotation about a horizontal axis, traction wheels carried by the drive axle for rotation therewith, a member simulating the body of a horse mounted on the divergent arms and having a head portion enclosing the upper end of the spindle and the cross bar, said head portion having a mouth, a crank shaft carried by the divergent" arms betweenthe' collar and the legs, a saddle carried by the member above the crank shaft, legs simulating the forelegs of a horse pivotally connected to the member adjacent the front end thereof, legs simulating the hind legs ofa horse pivotally connected to the member adjacent the rear end thereof, means carried by the crank shaft for engagement by the feet of an occupant of the saddle for rotating said crank shaft, means carried by the crank shaft and connected to the drive axle for rotating it and means connected to the-crank shaft and to' the pivoted legs for oscillating said legs as the crank shaft. is rotated, saidmeans for oscillating the pivoted legs comprising crank arms carried by the crank shaft and elongatedlinks mounted on the crank arm and pivotally connected to: the pivoted legs.

CHARLESP. ALONZO;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 492,060. Snyder Feb. 21, 1893 1,396,475 Tracey Nov. 8, 1921 1,795,678 Raphael Mar, 10,1931 2,173,536 Jester Sept. 19, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 615,397 France Oct. 11, 1926 

